How long to get nervous?

[billt4sf]

So....we are getting ready to start our diving after a layoff of nearly 8 months. We're nervous!

How long does it take without diving before you get nervous ? I'd have to say that, for us - not long, a few weeks I'd say. Maybe even less.

Deep down (ha ha ha) I know it will be good, being nervous is part of the overall excitement.

- Bill & Emily

 

[Ministryofgiraffes]

Embrace the checkout dives! Do more than one, whenever I’m doing liveaboard etc I try to show up a day or two early and just focus on 2/3 soft dives to get back into the groove.preferably shore if at all possible.... i never want my first dive back to be a drift dive or difficult dive etc.

 

[clownfishsydney]

No idea, I have never gone longer than 3 months without a dive over the past 31 years. The only reason for the 3 month layoff was a damaged ear. Apart from that time, I have never gone longer than 6 weeks and that was when I did a trip to Central Australia for 5 weeks, so not much chance of diving.

 

[arew+4]

Warm clear water with flat seas, Infinite.

Cold murky water with currents and waves, 24 hrs.

 

[outofofficebrb]

I think you're feeling nervous now, but I think you will realize how comfortable you are once you get in the water and be a bit surprised.

I regularly have 6 month intervals because I can't bring myself to dive in cold California water between trips to Indo. It is pure bliss as soon as I splash in.

 

[martincohn]

How long does it take without diving before you get nervous ?

Hey honey I've got to go blow bubbles, I'm getting nervous... What ever it takes!

 

[howswedeofme]

We typically dive twice a year because I don't enjoy cold water diving but only live near cold water, unfortunately, so it is usually 6-8 months between our dive trips. I was nervous about Komodo because it can be very difficult diving but once I got in I was fine. For places I'm already familiar with I don't get nervous at all any more. We also don't do a lot of really difficult diving and I think I would be nervous before any particularly challenging dive, regardless of interval.

 

[billt4sf]

Hey thanks for the replies.

We just finished our second day of diving, 5 dives, of which one had some nasty currents, and we felt good in all of them.

A "check dive" was mandatory and we were wanting nothing more than to get in some easy place and mosey around, so that fit the bill perfectly. It did take more than a day to get all of our gear exactly the way we wanted it. On the first dive, we were ready to go down and I pressed the wrong button at first! Sheesh.

One thing we found is that, although we had some minor gear issues, our buoyancy was still fine. I guess that part is like riding a bike -- it becomes part of you and nearly immediately comes right back.

 

[happy-diver]

Until I pierce the membrane between the two worlds
I'm healthily apprehensive before every single dive

 

[virtualRuben]

Like happy-diver said, I'm pretty much always a bit nervy before a dive. If I haven't dived for a long time (3 months is long for me), I often go to the pool first, just to know how it feels again. Takes the edge off.